- DonnaJean Wilde, 59, holds a Guinness World Record for planking for 4.5 hours.
- She built up to this record by strengthening her core over the course of a decade.
- Wilde said planking while doing other tasks was one of the ways she fit training into her day.
DonnaJean Wilde can plank for 4.5 hours. She built up to this over a decade, while juggling parenting, teaching, and studying for a master’s degree.
She started planking with her children as part of a viral craze in the early 2010s — and never stopped. Now, the 59-year-old from Alberta, Canada, holds the Guinness World Record for the longest time spent by a woman in an abdominal plank position.
Not only are Wilde’s capabilities impressive, planking is also great for her health. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation involving participants aged between 60 and 69 found that those who didn’t regularly exercise, had improved strength and muscle endurance, better oxygen intake, and improved immune cell function after they planked on and off for 20-30 minutes, three times a week, for 12 weeks.
A strong core, which planking can contribute to, can also help us to stay mobile day to day and prevent injuries and aches like back pain.
Wilde shared with Business Insider how she worked toward planking for hours.
DonnaJean Wilde
Plank while doing other tasks
When Wilde started planking, her wrist was broken and it was the only form of exercise she could do.
She planked for slightly longer each day, while reading or using her phone. She was impressed when she reached 10 minutes, so kept going.
“I found that I could put my computer on the floor, answer emails, plan my school lessons, and really enjoy planking knowing it was making me stronger. It made me feel so good and my time was improving all throughout the years,” she said.
Deep, controlled breathing
Wilde used deep breathing to prepare for her world record attempt, which she said helped her stay calm and eased her anxiety.
She now does deep breathing as she goes about her day, not just while planking. For example, taking a deep breath and holding for ten, before releasing the breath slowly and repeating.
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that five to 10 minutes of breathing exercises a day for six weeks appeared to decrease blood pressure in participants whose levels were abnormally high. However, deep breathing isn’t a replacement for regular exercise when it comes to lowering blood pressure, Daniel Craighead, the lead author of the study, previously told Business Insider.
DonnaJean Wilde
Visualize yourself planking
Wilde worked on visualizing herself planking calmly in perfect form, she said, which helped her stay strong when she was in position.
Visualization is a “magical tool,” she said.
A small 2016 study published in the journal Basic and Applied Social Psychology found that its 65 participants, who were all tennis players, were more likely to hit a target after they imagined themselves doing so every time.
